Table 2 Measured variables in three groups (experimental, placebo, and comparison) of triathletes completing the 2001 South African Ironman triathlon.
| Variable | Experimental (n = 53) | Placebo (n = 61) | Comparison (n = 299) | Average (n = 413) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 33.4 (7.4) | 33.9 (7.3) | 35.3 (8.1) | 35.0 (8.0) | 0.09 |
| Finish time (min) | 758.3 (87.6) | 762.0 (100.7) | 741.3 (96.7) | 745.4 (96.4) | 0.14 |
| Pre‐race [Na+] (mmol/l) | 140.6 (1.7) | 140.7 (1.7) | 140.5 (1.7) | 140.5 (1.7) | 0.67 |
| Post‐race [Na+] (mmol/l) | 141.5 (2.7) | 140.5 (3.5) | 140.9 (2.7) | 140.9 (2.8) | 0.15 |
| Pre‐race weight (kg) | 78.2 (9.6) | 75.7 (10.2) | 76.4 (10.5) | 76.5 (10.4) | 0.36 |
| Weight change (kg) | −2.9 (1.3) | −3.0 (1.7) | −3.1 (1.3) | −3.1 (1.4) | 0.36 |
| Dehydration during race (%) | −3.6 (1.4) | −3.9 (2.1) | −4.0 (1.6) | −3.9 (1.7) | 0.16 |
| Post‐race rectal temperature (°C) | 37.1 (0.6) | 37.4 (0.7) | 37.2 (0.9) | 37.2 (0.9) | 0.46 |
| Post‐race systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 112 (13) | 109 (14) | 112 (17) | 112 (16) | 0.91 |
| Post‐race diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 72 (9) | 73 (10) | 73 (10) | 73 (10) | 0.59 |
Values are mean (SD).